Zebra Cheesecake ~ adapted from Not Quite Nigella

2 oz butter
9 oz cream cheese
3 oz whole milk
2 oz unbleached flour
1 oz cornstarch
1/4 t salt
1 T lemon juice
5 oz sugar
6 eggs, separated
1/4 t cream of tartar
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

Lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of a round 12 inch springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap two layers of foil around pan to prevent water seeping in. Use a baking dish that will accommodate the springform pan and fill empty baking dish 1/4 full with water and place the baking dish with water (do not add springform) on center rack of oven. Set oven to 325.

Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler over medium heat. Whisk constantly until melted and no lumps remain. Cool mixture over an ice bath. Fold in flour, cornstarch, 6 egg yolks, and lemon juice, mix well and set aside.

Whisk 6 egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in sugar and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form. Add one third of the egg white mixture to the cheese mixture to loosen. Fold in remaining egg white mixture in two batches and mix well. Divide batter evenly in two and sift cocoa into one bowl.

Take prepared springform pan and place 3 tablespoons of vanilla batter in a circle in the center of the tin. Then take 3 tablespoons of the chocolate batter and place in the center. Continue adding 3 tablespoon circles of batter until both of the batters are used. Circles will spread automatically.



Carefully transfer cheesecake into the water bath in oven making sure not to tilt cheesecake. Bake cheesecake in the water bath 55 to 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Serves 12.

Cookie Dough Cake

basic butter cake
1 c butter (2 sticks), softened
2 c sugar
3 c self-rising flour, sifted
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 and 1/4 c milk, room temperature
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Using a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream butter until fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes, scraping down bowl a couple of times. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down bowl. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and beat until just mixed.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter and drop it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto cooling racks lined with plastic wrap. Wrap tightly when cooled and freeze for at least 1 hour prior to decorating.

cookie dough filling
4 T butter, softened
6 T light brown sugar, packed
1 c plus 2 T flour
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c mini semisweet chocolate chips

To make cookie dough filling, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add in flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, mix until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated and smooth. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Remove dough from bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, one hour minimum.

When set, scoop into small balls using a melon baller or similar instrument. Set cookie balls on cookie sheet lined with wax paper and place in refrigerator until ready to assemble cake.

brown sugar frosting
1 and 1/2 c butter (3 sticks), softened
4 c powdered sugar
2 c light brown sugar
3 T vanilla
3 T flour
Cream all ingredients on medium high speed until very smooth, approximately 5 minutes.

cake assembly
Place one cake layer on decorative plate. Remove one third frosting to another bowl and add approximately 15 cookie dough balls. Stir gently to cover cookie dough with frosting. Spread frosting with cookie dough balls evenly on cake layer so cookie dough is in a single layer. Add second cake layer to top and frost evenly with remaining frosting, spreading over sides. Decorate with mini chocolate chips and chocolate chip cookies, if desired. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Serves 20.

Cookie Dough Truffles

4 T butter, softened
6 T light brown sugar, packed
1 c plus 2 T flour
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 c semisweet chocolate chips, divided

To make cookie dough filling, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add in flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, mix until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated and smooth. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Remove dough from bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, one hour minimum.
When set, scoop into small balls using a melon baller or similar instrument. Set cookie balls on cookie sheet lined with wax paper and set aside.

In microwaveable bowl, place chocolate chips and microwave on high at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until beginning to melt. Add remaining 1/2 c chips and stir well until completely melted and smooth. Drop one truffle ball into melted chocolate and, using a fork, roll truffle until completely coated with chocolate. Remove truffle with fork, shake off excess chocolate and return to wax paper. Place in refrigerator until set, approximately 30 minutes. Store in airtight container. Yield 30 truffles.

Pot Roast Beef Stew ~ adapted from Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee

1/4 one medium white onion, cut into large chunks
8 oz. baby carrots
3 lbs red potatoes, quartered
3 to 3.5 lbs beef chuck roast, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
2 T canola oil
1~ 10 oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1 packet onion soup mix
2~ 14 oz cans low-sodium beef broth
1/4 c steak sauce

Put onions, carrots, and potatoes in bottom of large crock-pot.

Season roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add roast and brown on all sides. Place in crock pot on top of vegetables.

In small bowl, whisk together cream of celery soup, onion soup mix, beef broth, and steak sauce. Pour over top of roast, cover and cook on high setting for 3 to 4 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours.

Punxsutawney Phil Cupcakes

Ok, so I didn't make any of this from scratch. I intended to bake the cupcakes myself and top them with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting, but who am I kidding? I picked up a dozen cupcakes at the bakery and instead of spending an hour in the kitchen, I spent it with my family. A good choice of time management, if I do say so myself.

These were so cute when they were done that the children didn't want to eat the groundhogs. How adorable is that? They did eventually devour it, Phil and all. This kind of special occasion baking is my favorite; easy prep with high impact.

Materials
Chocolate cupcakes ~ homemade or store bought, it won't affect the look of the final product
Chocolate buttercream frosting ~ again, no difference if you let someone do the baking for you
12 Oreo cookies
Nilla Wafers ~ one per cupcake
Sliced almonds ~ two per Nilla Wafer
1/4 c semisweet chocolate chips

Method
Place chocolate chips in zip-top bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Microwave on full power at 30 second intervals until soft and melted. Cut a small hole in one corner of bag and squeeze chocolate onto Nilla Wafers making eyes and nose for groundhog. Add a small amount of melted chocolate to two sliced almonds and adhere to back of Nilla Wafer groundhog. Set groundhog cookies aside to set.

Separate chocolate Oreo cookies from creme filling and crush into crumbs. Frost cupcakes with buttercream and roll in cookie crumbs. Push groundhog cookie into frosting.